Novel In-Situ Electrolytes for Electrochemical Capacitors

双电层电容器(EDLC)是当今最重要的储能设备之一。在这些器件中，能量是通过在(极化的)电极和电解液的离子之间的界面上形成双电层来物理存储的。碳基材料是目前EDLC中最先进的电极材料。然而，这些材料是通过多步合成的方式生产的，这与高能源需求和废物和副产品的过度积累有关。这与可持续能源生产和储存的核心理念形成鲜明对比。在这个项目中，我们的目标是设计碳合成，使形成的副产品不作为废物处理，而是生成一种适合实现EDLC的盐。因此，副产品有助于所需最终产品的功能，并且完全绕过了废物累积净化步骤。因此，我们将这种方法称为“原位电解液”概念。结合Borchardt集团在多孔炭开发方面的专业知识和Balducci集团在电解液设计方面的专业知识，我们的目标是：第一，通过研究不同的活化剂、超强酸和前驱体材料，了解原位电解液概念的基本原理；第二，利用这一策略实现锂基电解液和钠基电解液；第三，将这一概念提升到金属离子电容器；第四，开发第三代原位电解液概念，甚至可以从碳合成废品中产生电解液溶剂。

Electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) are nowadays considered among the most important energy storage devices. In these devices the energy is physically stored, through the formation of an electric double-layer at the interface between (polarized) electrodes and ions of the electrolyte Carbon-based materials are currently the state-ofthe- art electrode materials in EDLCs. These materials, however, are produced by means of multi-step syntheses associated with a high energy demand and an excessive accumulation of waste and byproducts. This is in sharp contrast with the core idea of sustainable energy production and storage. In this project we aim to design carbon syntheses in such a way that the formed by-products are not treated as waste products, but instead generate a salt suitable for the realization of EDLCs. Thus, the by-products contribute to the functionality of the desired final product and waste accumulating purification steps are by-passed completely. For that reason, we call this approach the ’in situ electrolyte‘ concept. Combining the expertise on porous carbon development of the Borchardt group with the expertise on electrolyte design of the Balducci group we target the following aspects: Firstly, understanding the underlying principles of in situ electrolyte concept by investigating different activation agents, super acids and precursor materials, secondly, to utilized this strategy for the realization of lithium and sodium-based electrolytes, thirdly advancing the concept to metal-ion capacitors and fourthly developing a 3rd generation in situ electrolyte concept, in which even the electrolyte solvent can be generated from the waste products of carbon syntheses.